The Big Bad Wolf
by K.Blood
Summary: Julian: "I've been more things than you can imagine. And what I want you to believe is that children can go into dark places and disappear..." Some Jenny/Julian. AU
1. Part I

_*Before you start the story please read the below disclaimer. It's very important.*_

.

**Disclaimer:** The Forbidden Game Trilogy and all its characters were created and are owned by _Lisa Jane Smith_.

This is just a fan story based on _her_ works, using _her_ characters. All rightful credit is given to _her_. I make no profit from this.

**www. fanfiction .net**** and ****www. adultfanfiction .net**** are the **_**only**_** sites where this story is posted.**

If you see it anywhere else please let me know because that means it was stolen. Thank you.

.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

**Summary:** Julian: "I've been more things than you can imagine. And what I want you to believe is that children can go into dark places and disappear..." Some Jenny/Julian.

**Setting:** Completely AU. Has nothing to do with the FG storyline. The quote in the summary comes from _The Hunter_, chapter 8.

**Originally Completed/Posted: **January 2010

**Rating/Warnings:** Rated-16+ (anyone age 16 and over). For language and graphic violence. In this fic Julian (while not overly evil like he is in some of my other works) has a bit of a sadistic streak. Be warned.

**Distribution/Sharing:** Links only, please. No translations or reprints.

**Word Count: **4,164

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

.

**Author's Notes:** This is one of those stories were a line from the books inspires me to write a whole fanfic centered around it. I hope you at least find this story somewhat entertaining.

.

.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

**The Big Bad Wolf**

**By: K. Blood**

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

**~ Chapter I ~**

Jenny Thornton was quickly coming to second-guess the wisdom of turning down her boyfriend's offer to drive her home. At least when she had originally declined the sun had still been hanging in the horizon. Now only the slightest sliver of orange could be viewed. In the distance a heavy blackness was rapidly stretching across the sky to steal what remained of the day.

The seventeen-year-old hugged herself and glanced around. The streets were abnormally quiet. Sure it was getting dark but there should have still been other people around. Kids, Jenny's age, simply hanging out and doing nothing, or adults finishing up late afternoon yard work. Yet there was no one at all. It was so out of the ordinary, especially in a well populated neighborhood such as this one. If seemed as if all life had abruptly vanished.

From the look of things, it had.

Jenny mentally scolded herself. She knew it was only her imagination messing with her, making the shadows seem longer and blacker, increasing the feeling of isolation. She felt like a lost little girl, consumed with the very childish need to see her mother. Jenny shook the notion away. She was practically an adult. It was silly to still have such thoughts.

_It's not that bad, anyway_, she told herself, eyeing the empty windows of darkened houses.

_Then why aren't there lights on in any of them?_

She thought she saw something in one of the windows. A silhouette, much blacker than the darkness around it, watching her. Jenny's heart leaped into her throat as she looked away, picking up the pace of her footfalls.

_See_, her mind said, ignoring the chill and sudden eruption of gooseflesh over her skin. _There are still people around. You're not alone._

The thought did very little to comfort.

As she past by the entrance to Grayson Park, Jenny paused. The playground itself was relatively small, but the surrounding patch of woods was a beloved spot for joggers. During the summer months she and Dee, a close friend, would run some of the trails together. Jenny knew the area fairly well. By cutting straight through she could save herself a couple blocks to her home. There was just one problem.

Whereas the neighborhood behind her looked dead, in the lack of light the woods looked oddly alive. Swaying leaves appeared to mimic the movements of breathing. Dark patches in the thick foliage of the treetops gave the impression of glaring, hollowed eye sockets. Jenny blinked and swallowed to remove the sudden lump in her throat. She gingerly glanced back toward the empty house fronts before returning her gaze to the creepy breathing trees. Neither option looked very appealing.

_You're being silly, again,_ she told herself, even as something deep inside pleaded with her to turn around, go back to Tom's house, and beg him to take her home.

Jenny shook her head. She had to smile at herself, even if it was only a slight turn of the lips. She was acting like a five year old instead of the young woman she really was. Fearing the dark, that's all it really was. Just some impractical childish fear. You'd think that a person would have grown out of such things.

With that thought in mind, Jenny stepped past the entrance and into the playground area.

Without any children there to play on them the playground equipment appeared eerily haunted. What was it that was so unhinging about an empty set of swings under a nighttime back drop? Jenny suppressed a shiver and moved onward. She refused to let her steps waver in the slightest as she ventured between the tall trees and into the woods.

What indigo light remained in the horizon was cutoff by the bulk of the trees. A thin crescent moon hung overhead but was too small to offer much illumination. Jenny followed a familiar path, letting memory take her through it as she ignored the enclosing darkness. The looming presence of the trees only reinforced her growing sense of being isolated from the rest of the world. She forced her eyes straight ahead as she walked, not wanting to give her imagination any chances to toy with her.

A rustle off to the left made Jenny's heart slam against her ribs. Her eyes darted around for the source of the sound, but were unable to decipher anything through the darkness.

It was amazing how disturbingly different things looked in the dark than in the light of day. Every swaying shadow or shifting branch suddenly became cause for alarm.

_Stop scaring yourself,_ she ordered.

The sound came again. A soft crackling, like something moving through the underbrush.

_Rabbit,_ she told herself and forced her legs to continue on the path. The noise seemed to follow her as she went.

_Yep, just a rabbit._

There came the sound of snapping wood.

_Okay, a __**big**__ rabbit. Or a raccoon. Yeah, a raccoon._

Jenny picked up the pace.

A low growl came from some place nearby and she pivoted around, trying to pinpoint the location of the noises. It felt as if the sound had come from directly behind her. Jenny's first thought was a mountain lion. This was California, after all. Sometimes on the news you heard of joggers or cyclists being dragged off and eaten by one of the large cats. It was an uncommon occurrence, but apparently not uncommon enough. Then again, what were the odds that one was actually hunting in such a modest sized park in the middle of suburbia?

_Not very good_, Jenny thought.

She knew she was being ridiculous again. Either way, the growl had been too gruff to be feline. It seemed to resonate from the chest rather than the throat. To Jenny it sounded like something that would come from a dog.

She stood motionless, waiting for the noise (_**any**_ noise, really) to come again. The woods were quiet. No, not quiet. Quiet implied a sense of serenity or calm. This was silence, lingering and all encompassing. It occurred to her that there wasn't the faintest hint of any other sounds. No nighttime birds or chirping crickets, just this extending dead silence.

Something was out there, waiting.

Jenny's blood roared in her ears as her heart beat frantically in her chest. She wasn't sure what to do. Should she run or wait it out? Perhaps whatever it was would get tired of stalking her and leave to go find less alert prey.

_Prey?_

Great, now her mind was even thinking of herself as a food item. Jenny couldn't allow her thoughts to wonder into that type of territory. Anyway, who had said this thing was some terrible predator? It could just be an irritated raccoon or opossum. They could growl like that, right?

Even as she thought it Jenny knew the idea was garbage. There was no way a noise like that could have come from any animal of such minimal size. This thing, whatever it was, was _**big**_.

A sudden thought occurred to her and Jenny cautiously sent a look over her shoulder.

What if the thing was circling around? What if it wanted to spring a trap on her from behind? That was how predatory animals hunted, wasn't it? She didn't know much about the animal kingdom but she'd seen enough of the National Geographic channel to pick up a thing or two about the way nature worked.

Jenny ran a nervous tongue over her lips. She still couldn't make much out in the darkness and wasn't even sure in which direction she was facing anymore.

_Okay, girl, calm down. _

She knew she was only scaring herself and panicking wouldn't help her situation in the least.

Then Jenny saw it.

It was a gleam of eyes among the blackness, positioned about a couple yards down the path behind her. Straining her vision she could place the yellow glowing orbs in a vague canine-like outline.

_A wolf?_

Jenny felt her adrenaline abruptly spike. Did this part of California even have wolves? No, that was crazy. It had to be someone's lost pet, or one of the wild dogs occasionally spotted poking around the neighborhood trashcans.

Their eyes locked. When the beast realized it had been spotted it let loose a deep snarl which ricocheted off the trees. The sound sent the hairs at the nape of Jenny's neck standing on end. She ran. She couldn't help it.

Jenny's feet hammered on the cleared dirt floor of the trail as her chest heaved for air. She could hear the beast chasing after her. She knew that if she continued on like this the dog would catch her easily. Hoping to lose it, Jenny dashed between the trees.

Low hanging branches slapped at her face and arms. Underbrush snagged her jeans. Jenny ignored it, letting raw instinct and the pure will to live drive her through the foliage. She could still hear the canine growling from some distance behind her. She recklessly serpentined through the area. It was dangerous to run directly through the woods during the day. Doing so under the cover of night was just stupid. She prayed she didn't trip and break her leg.

Up ahead, Jenny spotted pale light filtering in through the trees on her right. Shifting directions, she headed straight for it. The only thing racing through her mind was the hope that the light led to people, people who could help scare the dog away.

A sharp stabbing sensation had started to bunch in her side and fatigue threatened to slow her pace. Jenny wasn't an athlete by any means and she knew she could not keep it up much longer. The patch of light became like a safe haven. If only she could reach it then everything would be okay. The notion was unrealistic but at the moment it was all she had to cling to.

The dog was still somewhere behind her, trampling through fallen leaves. Jenny imagined she could feel its hot breath on the back of her neck—or so she hoped she was only imagining.

The light was closer now. Pale, but very bright compared to the rich darkness she had been suffering through. Past the trees Jenny could make out manicured grass. Her spirits soared.

_So close_.

She pushed her body harder. Her lungs had started to throb. The clearing was right there, only a yard away.

Jenny covered the distance in a matter of seconds. She burst through the trees and into the moonlight. Instantly cold shock seized her and she temporarily stumbled.

_A graveyard! _her mind screamed. _It's a GRAVEYARD! _

Of all the places she could have ended up...

As a young girl she had been plagued with nightmares involving cemeteries and such. Dreams in which corpses, their flesh gray and flaking from their faces, crawled up through the dirt to grab at her legs. It was a nightmare which had haunted her ever since she had watched her grandfather's coffin lowered into the bitter soil of a cemetery when she was six.

_A graveyard._

Jenny felt the insane need to laugh at the world. There would be no help for her here. The only other people around were already dead.

_And hopefully stayed that way,_ she thought as old fears came rushing back to her.

Jenny caught her footing and continued running, ignoring the feeling that such a place was as appropriate as any to get mauled to death by a rabid animal. She threw a glance back over her shoulder just in time to see the dog tear into the cemetery right behind her.

Jenny couldn't suppress a scream as she got a good look at her pursuer. It wasn't just a dog. It _**was**_ a wolf, only far too massive. It was much larger than any normal wolf could ever hope to be. The worse part was that Jenny swore she could see right though its hide, like some kind of glowing apparition.

The creature seemed to stand out from the rest of the world, as if it were only a luminous image painted on the darkness. The wolf's eyes gleamed a sickly jaundice and its jaws snapped at the air as it paused to look around. It didn't take long for those horrible eyes to relocate Jenny and take up the chase.

She didn't falter. She ran on, weaving in between headstones, unable to peel her eyes away from it. It was wrong, just wrong. Something like that did not exist in the real world. It wasn't possible. A ghost-wolf? It was a creature better suited for some child's fairytale. The impossibility of such a thing only added to her fright.

Without warning, Jenny slammed into something solid. The abrupt impact made her cry out in surprise. She would have fallen backwards if not for a pair of hands which shot out to grab her by the elbows.

_A person! A real, living human being!_

"Please," Jenny sobbed. She felt tears slide down her face but wasn't sure when she had started to cry. She couldn't think straight. Her mind was a rush and she was having difficulties gaining enough oxygen.

At first, there was an overwhelming sense of relief at finding another person, someone who could help. Then such foolish thoughts were quickly replaced with the truth that there was no way anyone could ever be safe from a demonic creature like the one chasing her.

"Run!" Jenny shouted, frantic. She gripped fistfuls of her companion's shirt, sobbing as she tugged at it. They needed to get away or else that thing would kill them both. "God, please, there's a, a wolf. We _have to go!_"

"What wolf?" asked a voice, quite casually, as if she wasn't shrieking like a mad banshee.

Jenny's head shot up. The young man she had rammed into stared down at her with a look of mild amusement. She took in bright blue eyes and bleach-blond hair before glancing back over her shoulder.

He was right. The wolf was gone. Jenny stared, openmouthed.

"It... Where'd it go?" Her eyes darted around the graveyard, searching the brush and scattered headstones for any sign of the phantom-beast.

"What are you talking about?"

The young man continued to keep his grip on her arms. Jenny was silently thankful. At the moment she wasn't so confident that her legs would support her. Slowly, continuing her uneasy search for the wolf, Jenny turned her eyes back toward him.

"But..." she let her words trail off. She was terribly unnerved and baffled. The monster had been right behind her. Could it have simply disappeared or faded away, somehow?

"Perhaps it was only a shadow," the young man offered, sounding as if he were making some privet joke.

When she continued to stare helplessly up at him he flashed a half-smile. It wasn't until then Jenny noticed just how handsome he was. And his eyes... Such a lush blue, like no shade she had ever seen before. They were luminous like the daylight sky and as lively as gas flames. In her panic she had mistaken his hair for being a bright blond. Now Jenny saw it was white. Pure white, like snow. In the light of the moon it looked astonishingly soft.

_Moonlight?_

A large amount of it was illuminating the area around them. She peered upward to find a fat full moon hanging overhead. Jenny frowned. If she remembered correctly the moon had been only a thinly crescent, and there definitely had not been any stars out. Now the whole sky was painted a rich violet-obsidian, speckled with thousands of them, all twinkling like precious stones.

That was...odd.

And since when did Grayson park accommodate a cemetery? Neither Dee nor anybody else she knew had ever mentioned it. Even her mother, who understood her daughter's distaste and fear of such things, had kept silent. Surely someone would have said _**something?**_

Jenny didn't know how she could have not noticed it on her own, given all the years she use to come here and play with her friends. How could she have not known this place was here? It wasn't as if it had simply appeared out of thin air. Right? ..._**Right**_**?**

Jenny thought of the translucent wolf, and shivered.

Then again, maybe it had.

She met the young man's eyes. They appeared to glitter like stained glass, almost mockingly. He was disturbingly beautiful. Exotic in some strange way...

_Otherworldly_, she thought absently, and was then struck with how true the word felt. She wasn't sure what this guy was but she knew that, like the phantom-wolf, he did not belong here.

"I should go now," Jenny heard herself say as she began to pull free from his grip. His fingers tightened their hold.

"But you seem so distraught. I think you should stay."

Jenny shook her head, unable to break contact with the alluring twinkle in his eyes. She tugged gently on her arms. "I really think I should go."

His grip did not change. "Maybe I don't want you to leave."

His voice was smooth, as if wrapped in silk. He had not demanded anything or spoken in a threatening tone, yet something instinctual screamed alarm bells through Jenny's body. Whoever—or _**whatever**_—he was, he was dangerous. Maybe even more so than the wolf. She tugged harder. Fresh tears blurred her vision as panic began to rise again.

"Please," she begged.

He pulled her closer until Jenny could feel the coolness of his breath against her lips. He whispered teasingly, "But aren't you scared the wolf will get you?"

Jenny opened her mouth but found she had nothing to say. Instead she spoke the honest truth: "I don't know what's going on."

He studied her a moment, then grinned. "You're very bright."

Jenny frowned. Was he making fun of her? God, she just wanted this to all be over. She wanted to go home where she could feel safe and brush everything off as a bad dream.

"I wasn't expecting that," he went on, releasing one of Jenny's arms to touch her face. His fingers were light upon her cheek, like dragonfly wings over her skin. It was very disconcerting. This person was a stranger, maybe not even human if her instincts were correct, yet Jenny found herself fighting the strong urge to press her cheek against his open palm.

"Skin kissed by the sun. Hair like liquid-amber. Even your eyes are flecked with gold. You seem to be your own little ball of light."

His tone was low and lyrical, but in the most natural of ways. It made her think of water in a stream flowing over rock. Listening to it, Jenny was overcome with the sensation of falling. She gripped the front of his ebony shirt in an effort to keep herself grounded.

"Please, don't touch me," she said, her unfocused gaze cast toward the ground. His caress was too soft and his voice too sensual. They wrapped around her mind, distorting coherent thought. She needed to get away. Something was very wrong. It all felt too surreal. Somewhere deep inside Jenny some primitive part of herself called out in warning.

"I really need to leave."

His response was a dark chuckle. He moved his hand to feather through her hair. The delicate way in which he did so made Jenny's legs turn to water.

"I'll admit, I'm tempted," he said cryptically, more to himself than to her.

Jenny raised her head and met his gaze. There was something predatory in the back of his eyes, something that cried of a deep hunger. Raw and savage—and ancient. Jenny felt her heart skip a beat.

Blackness danced in the edges of her vision. Fighting back the tremors threatening to unhinge her body, she was barely able to keep her eyes on his as she whispered, "What are you?"

She watched as a humored smirk curled the perfect shape of his lips. "What do you think I am?"

She answered with the first thing to come to mind: "Old. And dangerous."

Her response seemed to please him. He released her other arm to cup her face in both of his hands. Defensively, her own hands moved to cover his. He bent his head until their mouths almost touched. "What's your name?"

"Jenny," she breathed. The fluttering sensation of his lips over hers sent little sparks of heat coursing through her body.

"Short for Jennifer?"

"Yes," she said curtly, fearing the warmth seeping into her. His presence was intimidating, but also exciting in a way. She would have compared it to petting a wild tiger, that mixture of fear and wonder.

"Jennifer." He paused to think. "It's an old name that comes from an even older one. A kernowek variant of Guinevere. The white phantom, or the fair-skinned fay. Some would go so far as to claim its meaning as the white enchantress. It's a lovely name and I think it suits you."

Jenny blinked. His voice was so low and melodious. It was like listening to the song of some wonderful instrument she had never heard before. One which captivated and drew her in until nothing else existed.

"Oh," she managed to say, feeling winded. "Thank you."

His eyes studied her face as his fingers returned to brush through her hair. Vaguely aware, Jenny's hands moved back to press against his chest, to the feel of solid muscle underneath.

He offered a sly little smile. "You're very welcome."

That smile...

Should she scream? Runaway? Or let herself melt against him?

He was so strangely stunning. Almost alien, as if he honestly had just stepped in from some other world. She should fight back. That was what every fiber of her being told her to do, but her dazzled mind wanted her to give in and simply let this otherworldly being do to her whatever he pleased.

Such thoughts terrified Jenny.

She knew she needed to get out of there. Nothing felt right about the situation. Maybe back in the woods she had fallen and hit her head. Perhaps she was unconscious and this was all just a dream—or a nightmare. Jenny wasn't sure which.

She began to back away from his touch. "I really have to—"

As quick as a striking serpent he seized her by the wrists. It didn't hurt but surprise forced her to cry out. He yanked her back against his body. Instantly, Jenny felt a blush heat her neck and spread up towards her face. Besides her boyfriend, she had never been so intimately close to a guy before. Definitely never any guy who looked like this one. Black shadows sharpened the features of his face and his eyes shined like moonlit ice as he regarded her.

"You see, Jenny..." Her name rolled off his tongue like a silk purr, leaving her muscles feeling weak. "...unlike the others I prefer to feast while my meal is still fresh. I don't enjoy wearing things out. Not unless I'm in the mood for it."

He paused, perhaps waiting for her to say something. Jenny had nothing to say. She was utterly confused and wasn't even certain if this was the real world anymore.

He went on: "This time I'm willing to make an exception. You really are very pretty. I guess _bright _would be more appropriate to describe you. You are like a candle flame, Jenny. I enjoy that. There's not that much light where I come from. It would be a shame to just smother yours outright. _Un_-sportsmanlike of me to do so. "

His words made Jenny grow wary, forcing some clarity into her thoughts. She searched his expression. "What are you talking about?"

"An opportunity, my bright little enchantress. A chance to live. Consider it a gift. All you have to do is make your way out of the woods and you're free."

"I... I have no idea what's going on."

He smiled a strange, sweet smile and tilted his head. "Haven't you been listening?"

Something flickered in his gaze, something cold and sinister. It froze Jenny's veins and caused her throat to constrict.

Leisurely, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "You've stepped into the Devil's playground, Jennifer. Your only hope is to find your way back out. Good luck."

She felt his lips brush tenderly over her cheek, leaving behind a warm chill. Then there was a vicious snarl from somewhere close by. Jenny recognized it immediately as belonging to the monster which had been chasing her. Abruptly, the hands on her were gone, replaced by a rough shove.

Caught of guard, she fell back onto the grass. It didn't take long for Jenny's mind to realize what was happening. She fumbled a moment, getting to her feet. Then she was running, heading back for the trees. The deep, sensual timbre of the young man's laughter chased her as she ran.

It wasn't the only thing.

~.~.~.~.~


	2. Part II

**Word Count: **2,438

**~ Chapter II ~**

Jenny could hear the phantom-wolf in close pursuit as she managed to duck through the trees and back into the woods. Her pulse raced and her head felt like it was in shambles, but she knew she had to pull herself together. If she didn't she was going to die.

She may not have understood everything that was going on around her, but she knew she was apart of some twisted game of cat-and-mouse. Assuming the young man with hair like winter frost could be trusted to tell the truth, making it out of the woods was the only way to save herself. Jenny knew that if she remained running aimlessly through the trees she would remain lost. Locating one of the trails and following it out of there was her only hope of survival.

The sizeable full moon still hung overhead. Most of its light was cut off by the treetops but what did filter through gave Jenny an advantage she did not have before. At least now she could see more than just a few inches ahead of her.

A tight ache returned to her side. The light pain offered Jenny's frenzied thoughts a window of clarity. She noticed the foliage rustling under her feet and her own shallow breaths were the only sounds her ears were picking up. She strained her hearing as much as she could. Still, she heard nothing but her own body stumbling about. Jenny dared to pause. Her gaze went immediately behind her.

Nothing. No snarling. No snapping branches. Nothing. Not even the slightest hint of something lying in wait. Jenny eyed the rest of the area. Her fear and nervousness made it hard to breathe. The wolf was somewhere, but she wasn't sure where. She knew it was too much to hope the thing had just given up and abandoned her. She also knew that just standing around in the open was not going to help her.

Cautiously, Jenny backed herself up against a tree. At least the beast wouldn't be able to tackle her from behind. Jenny took a moment to calm her breathing and tried to sooth the aches in her overworked legs. She had not noticed before but the temperature appeared to have dropped dramatically. Her breath came out in white misty tendrils. She ignored the sudden cold and kept vigilant. Her heart was beating so fast it almost hurt. She wondered briefly if it really was possible to be frightened to death.

Something rattled off to her left. Jenny's eyes searched and saw nothing. She knew it had to be there, waiting for her to drop her guard. Slowly Jenny knelt down, keeping her back pressed against the trunk of the tree. With her gaze still plastered on the area to her left she blindly searched the ground around her. Dead leaves. Moist dirt. A few thin twigs. Then her hand landed on something larger, sturdier. A fallen branch. Tentatively, Jenny picked it up and rose to her feet. She was careful to have her back against the tree at all times. She gripped the branch in both hands, ready to utilize it like a baseball bat if she needed to.

She wasn't sure how long they played the waiting game, only that it was long enough for the complaints of her abused muscles to elevate to shouts. Jenny's legs throbbed and her arms grew tired, but still she stood there as unmoving as a statute, ready.

Without warning, something large hit her from the right. A cry of pain was knocked from her as she hit the ground. Rocks and jagged sticks bit into her skin through her clothing. The minor pain swiftly became nothing as Jenny felt teeth clamp down on her forearm, the one holding her makeshift weapon.

The wolf snarled and shook its head, causing its razor-like teeth to easily tear through her shirtsleeve and slice deeper into Jenny's flesh. She screamed. Red blotches swirled in her vision as the phantom-beast jerked her from side to side. It would rip her arm off if she didn't do something quick.

Throughout the ordeal the beast's sick yellow eyes glistened with mirth. They were all Jenny could focus on. There was an intelligence reflected in them, a maliciousness that was all too human for comfort.

With her free hand, Jenny shot up and dug her nails into its eyes. The wolf yelped. Its jaws bit down harder in response, soliciting another pained shout from Jenny. She hooked her nails into one of the wolf's eye sockets and jabbed them in as far as she could get them to go. Bile rose in the back of her throat at the sensation of cold, wet flesh splitting open around her fingers.

The wolf's head flew back, releasing her damaged arm. Its bellow of agony and outrage entered the chilled air as a white-gray haze. Jenny scrambled away from beneath it. She managed to get to her feet, pleased with herself for still holding onto the tree branch.

The phantom-beast reared back. It shook its head, growling low in its chest as a large clawed paw wiped at its mutilated face. Running on raw adrenaline, Jenny hoisted the branch over her head and brought it down viciously. It landed against the side of the wolf's face. There was a stomach curling thud. The wolf howled and lowered, as if to attack. Jenny hit it again. The impact against its skull produced another gut turning thud. The wolf swayed a moment, looking dizzy, before it abruptly pivoted around and took off.

"Don't you dare!" Jenny shouted, suddenly filled with an unnamed fury as the beast ran from her.

She didn't deserve any of this. She had done nothing wrong, yet she was still being punished. Jenny swung at the wolf as it fled, missing. Then her legs were moving, chasing after it. Leaves and branches hit her as she pursued it. They scraped her skin and tore her clothes, but she did not care. All she wanted to do was pay the monster back for the distress it had put her through. She could feel nothing but outrage and offense that she would be undeservingly treated this way. All she had wanted was to go home. That was all.

Unexpectedly, the trees ended and Jenny stumbled. She landed on her knees on the edge of a dirt path. Her vision just barely caught the tail of the beast as it darted into the foliage on the other side of the trail.

Everything was suddenly too much to bear. As if a floodgate had opened, the tears which had blurred her vision now spilled down her overheated face. The heavy branch fell away and Jenny cupped her face in her hands, sobbing violently. Her arm throbbed horribly and she could feel the sticky warmth of her own blood leaking down her skin. She wasn't sure how bad the damage was and didn't want to look. She was worn out, both physically and mentally. Her sudden stint of rage had left her drained.

Jenny didn't even feel like herself anymore. Things that should not have been possible were happening. Monsters were real. Evil was real—and it really did spend its time trying to hurt innocent people.

Questioning all that she thought she knew, Jenny felt on the very brink of insanity. All she wanted was for everything to be over with, to wake up from this nightmare.

"Well that was...entertaining. Wouldn't have guessed you had that in you, Jenny. You're rather feisty when you want to be."

Slowly, Jenny lowered her hands from her face. Even then she had to stare at the ground for a second or two to ready herself. When she finally turned her head to look his way, he smiled. It was extremely sweet, sickeningly so.

"Not that the Lurker won't be back for you," he added in that lyrical voice of his.

In the openness of the trail the moon's light was free to rain down on them. Under its pale beams he looked absolutely breathtaking. The blue of his eyes gleamed like sapphires and his hair looked as delicate as cat's fur. Dressed all in black, he wore a simple t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with jeans and boots. He stood a short distance away, arms crossed over his chest. He watched her with an expression of arrogance and humor. He was terribly beautiful, yet all wrong for this world.

Jenny swallowed her tears and braced herself. Just a little while ago his very presence had worked on her like a poison. Little by little it had infected her. It had pulled her in, mussed her thoughts, and made her feel weak. She did not need any of that now, not when she already felt as fragile as a cracked wineglass.

Steadily, Jenny stood and turned to face him. He quirked an eyebrow as if he found this funny. Pain and exhaustion made her body tremble, but Jenny fought against it. She wanted to appear at least semi in control of herself as she demanded, "What are you? And why me, what did I do?"

"Which would you like me to answer first?"

He said it so friendly-like but his stance portrayed the contempt and superiority he felt over her. Another uncharacteristic bout of violent anger boiled Jenny's blood. She did not know who he was, but she hated him. He was utterly evil. A demon with the mask of an angel. Jenny had the urge to storm up to him and hit him.

She took a deep breath and, her voice coming out strained in spite of her efforts, said, "Why are you doing this to me?"

The demon in black shrugged. "You really should be thanking me for granting you this opportunity. Normally, people who fall prey to the shadows don't get second chances."

His words gave no real answers and only irritated her further. Jenny couldn't stop herself as she snapped, "I hate you."

His eyes studied her, almost glowing. He came closer and held out his hand as if to touch her face. Jenny took an aggressive step back, glaring at the dark youth. He paused, lowering his hand. A smirk curved his lips.

"You are like your own little sun, all fiery and brilliant. I'll admit it to you, Jenny—you _dazzle_ me."

His voice was as enthralling as midnight and as seductive as silver, and the velvety way he spoke her name... Jenny had to physically shake herself to stop from being captured in his web.

"Stay away from me," she said, taking another step back. The chill in the air had caused goosebumps to spread up her arms. She hugged them against her chest, only to wince in pain as the movement re-awoke the nerve endings in her wounded forearm. Briefly, his gaze lowered to the bloody gashes on her skin, before returning to her cypress colored eyes. He offered an expression of mock-sympathy, which Jenny sneered at.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"What are you, _really_?"

"Whatever I need to be."

Jenny noted that as she spoke her breath continued to come out in small white wisps while his did not. She proceeded to glare at him, demanding with her eyes that he tell her more. He smiled his charming little smile and looked at her as if she were complimenting him.

"Some nights I'm a flash of eyes in a black closet, or an eerie howl heard from a distance. Or maybe a lingering shadow where there should not be one. Tonight?" He gave a shrug, somehow making the act look graceful. "Tonight, I'm the Big Bad Wolf and you, Jenny, you're my Little Red Riding Hood. You want to know what you did to deserve this?"

She nodded.

"You assumed you were safe in a world where no such thing exists. Shame on you."

He was mocking her. Jenny bit her lip, resisting the desire to get aggressive. "So why are you here? Are you going to attack me too, like that, that _thing_?"

To be honest, she was kind of hoping for it. She was itching for a chance to knock that smug look off his handsome face.

"Not directly, no. I promised I'd give you a chance and I meant it. Has anyone ever told you that your eyes darken when you're upset?"

Jenny blinked. The question had caught her off guard.

"No?" he continued. "They turn the deep color of winter pine-needles. It's a lovely shade."

If the situation had been different, and if Jenny had not already known better, she would have thought he was flirting with her. At her confused expression a wide grin broke out across his face. Jenny looked away. She had to. This devil in black was so unnaturally alluring she knew that if she wasn't careful she would get herself killed.

"You said that if I found my way out of here I could leave, right?"

"Yes."

"Then if you don't mind, I have to go."

"If you must," he said, sounding almost disappointed.

Arms wrapped around herself, Jenny turned her back to him and began walking up the path. She knew all she had to do was follow it. No matter which way she went she would eventually be led out of the woods. Then the night's terror would be over with.

A horrific snarl tore through the air. Jenny's head shot up, her eyes darting around. She heard a curt laugh from the otherworldly devil behind her.

"Guess Lurker's gotten himself back together. Took longer than I thought it would."

Jenny turned to stare at him with wide eyes. As comprehension set in her gaze narrowed. "You were distracting me."

With a careless, flowing grace he bowed, and then gave her a wink as he straightened his posture.

"I told you he'd be back. Besides, you're closer to the end than you think. I may offer the chance to escape, but to actually let you?" He chuckled, dark and silky. "Well, that wouldn't be very entertaining at all."

"Bastard," Jenny mumbled under her breath as she turned away from him.

The branch remained where she had dropped it. Pausing briefly, she retrieved her crude weapon and continued up the path. She did not have the energy in her to run anymore, or to lose her sanity. To hell with what was suppose to be real and what wasn't. She had no idea how close the wolf was or when it would decide to come at her again—but Jenny would be ready for it.

~.~.~.~.~


	3. Part III

**Word Count: **3,811

**~ Chapter III ~**

The demon in black had mentioned that she was not far from the end. Was it true or had he only been toying with her again? Jenny wasn't sure. All she knew was she probably could not put too much weight to anything he said. She walked onward, following the jogging trail. After a while she knew she was far enough to be out of his range of sight, yet Jenny could not shake the feeling of those daylight-blue eyes on her back.

A warm pulse hummed through her arm. Under the moonlight she held it up to examine it. A couple of the wounds would need stitches, that was a given. Some of the punctures were still bleeding but not enough to warrant panic.

Glancing up, Jenny froze.

The wolf sat directly in front of her, only a handful of yards up the path. It stared coldly at her from one illuminated eye. Keeping her wounded arm held against her chest, Jenny reinforced her grip on the tree branch in her good hand. The beast remained motionless. Her first thought was that it was a trap. She chanced a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure no one—including a certain white-haired devil—was sneaking up behind her.

The path was empty.

When she returned her gaze to the ghost-wolf it growled and snapped its jaws, almost in invitation for her to make the first move. Jenny didn't like the situation at all. Something bad was about to happen. Tension hung in the air like a thick fog. She wasn't sure what to do. She needed to continue forward. Straying from the jogging trail could cause her to lose her way, and heading back in the other direction was not an option. There was no way she was going to turn around and present her back to the hell-hound.

The wolf stood. Jenny's muscles tensed. Her knuckles turned white as she held the branch tighter. The creature began to slowly stroll towards her in a small arch, circling her. Jenny matched its movements, maneuvering to always keep herself facing the wolf.

"I'm not scared of you," she spoke up suddenly, even as she felt the pounding beat of her heart in her throat.

Jenny caught sight of the slight turn of its upper lip, as if the wolf had understood and was grinning at her. She prayed to God it was only her imagination messing with her.

When the beast abruptly lunged at her Jenny was struck dumb for a brief moment. She had not expected the thing to just leap at her, head-on. Her rattled thoughts quickly found stability and Jenny had enough commonsense to dive for the side as the wolf's weight threatened to crash down on her.

She landed on her side, rolling onto her back in one smooth motion. However, the phantom-wolf was quicker and its body suddenly stood over hers. Razor-like fangs dove for Jenny's face. She swung the branch, bashing it against the wolf's snout. It shook off the blow and attacked again.

Jenny held her weapon up like a shield and the wolf's teeth sunk into its middle. The beast snarled and shook its head, trying to force her to lose her grip. Despite her fatigue, a fresh rush of adrenaline blessed Jenny with the strength to hold on.

The sound of cracking bark reached her ears. The wolf growled and snapped down harder onto the branch. The wood splintered even more. A single jaundice-colored eye glared down at her, almost scornfully. The monster knew exactly what it was doing.

A little more thrashing from the wolf above her and the branch suddenly broke in half, the beast stealing a piece of it in its jaws. The part remaining held in Jenny's good hand was jagged and uneven. Immediately, she saw her opportunity.

The wolf shifted, spitting out the wood in its mouth. The next time it lunged for her Jenny thrust her half of the broken branch upward. The sharp end easily pierced the wolf's throat, tearing through it as if the phantom-beast was made of tissue paper instead of cartilage and muscle.

The wolf was cut off mid-roar. It gagged. Its good eye grew wide as she forced the branch up higher, deeper into the hell-beast. Blood streamed out around the protrusion, or so Jenny assumed it was blood. The clear, gleaming diamond-like fluid spilled onto her, spraying her face and shirt.

The wolf gave off a wet gurgling cry. It backed away from Jenny, swiping at the branch sticking out of its throat. Its frantic movements left a trail of shimmering blood strewed across the ground, which appeared to burn silver under the open moonlight. The strange substance began to also seep from the wolf's mouth. Watching it suffer as it jerked this way and that Jenny felt a momentary stab of guilt.

Gasping, the huge wolf collapsed onto its side. Its legs kicked the earth as it continued to struggle. Gradually the movements slowed. What felt like an eternity later they finally stopped altogether.

Jenny got to her feet, never taking her eyes off the still body. Cautiously, she approached it. The beast did not stir. Feeling as if she were being slightly suicidal, Jenny poked at it with the toe of her shoe. Nothing. She held her breath and slowly counted to a full one hundred as she eyed its chest for the slightest hit of breathing. Still nothing. Only then did she believe it was dead.

A cold breeze blew over Jenny's skin. It called to her attention the cooling blood which streaked her face. Franticly, she wiped at it with the sleeve of her shirt. Tears burned her eyes but she ignored them as she tried to clean herself the best she could. Her mind kept trying to push the subject but Jenny fought it back. She didn't even want to think about what she had just done. Not now. She had not pulled herself back together to lose her sanity now. Instead, she aimed her focus on getting out of this slice of hell.

On shaking legs Jenny started back down the path, only glancing briefly over her shoulder to make sure the wolf had not moved. It hadn't.

Jenny wasn't sure how long she walked, or for how far. The woods were suddenly much larger than she had remembered. Tears occasionally escaped and slipped down her cheeks, but she made no move to stop them. She felt cold and grimy, once again feeling small and alone as she moved through the darkness with nothing but the trees to haunt the sky above her.

After awhile a spot of light drew her attention. It was bright and tinted a soft blue-ish shade. It looked artificial, like the kind which came from lampposts. She was finally near the end. A small laugh left her as she started to run. Thoughts of safely and warmth flooded her. At last, a release from this long nightmare.

Jenny's foot snagged on something directly in her path and she fell. The impact jarred her wounded arm and a tingling, cramping pain shot from her elbow up to her fingertips. She winced and turned onto her back. Her legs remained flung over the top of the log she had stumbled over.

How could she have been so stupid not to see that?

With a small groan Jenny started to pull herself backwards with her elbows. She froze the second she felt the log under her feet move. It had twisted slightly, almost as if it had wiggled. Off to the side a shadow rose up in the pale moonlight. Jenny's lungs leaped into her throat and she couldn't breathe as she caught sight of just what she had tripped over.

Large, dead white eyes leered at her from a huge scale covered head. A fluorescent colored tongue flicked in and out of its mouth. Jenny could only stare back. A deep seeded fear tore its claws into her, leaving her bones feeling numb and her body paralyzed.

There was one thing she hated among all others. More than the darkness, or cemeteries, or the fear of being alone. It was snakes. Long, cold, wicked snakes. Suddenly, Jenny wished to have the wolf back.

The python-like creature remained silent as its forked tongue licked at the air above Jenny. It was a snake, yet at the same time it wasn't. The creature was a mixture of swirls of blackness and blue-white light which bunched and surged in a snakelike motion. It was kind of a combination between reptile and lightning bolt. Similar to the wolf, it looked almost like an apparition. However, unlike the wolf, the snake seemed to be only mimicking the appearance of a real animal. It hurt Jenny's eyes to look directly at it.

The serpent made no sound as the segment of body under Jenny's feet began to turn. Even as she felt it coiling around her ankles Jenny still could not manage to make herself move. Her blood drummed in her temples as the coil grew tighter. The serpent's vacant eyes appeared to laugh at her, as if it knew it had already won.

An abrupt pain shot up Jenny's legs and quickly grew worse as the snake began to squeeze. The pain snapped her out of her fear induced stupor. Jenny gasped and shot forward. She dug her nails into the snake's glowing skin. The monster-serpent didn't even flinch. Its massive head loomed over her, swaying slightly from side to side, like an excited child enjoying himself.

Jenny lay back and hurryingly searched the ground around her, looking for something to use against the reptile. Its hold on her tightened to the point of agony. A numb tingling had started in the tips of her toes. Jenny's search grew wild, more erratic, but all her hands managed to clutch at were leaves and dirt.

There came a loud popping noise which echoed through the woods. Jenny let out a scream. Pain, jagged and hot, like splintered glass arched up her leg. Overhead, the serpent's pale eyes brightened with unvoiced laugher.

Jenny's hand fisted around something cool and solid. A rock. She shot up into a sitting position and brought the large stone down onto the serpent's coil.

Nothing happened at first. She did if again, over and over until a bright glistening patch appeared on the neon-serpent's scales. Jenny recognized it as the same kind of blood-like fluid which had spilled from the wolf. She slammed the rock down especially hard, throwing all of her upper weight into it. The demon-snake hissed, the first sound it made since appearing.

Jenny caught the movement of the serpent's head from the corner of her eye just as the massive jaws gaped open and shifted to strike her. She twisted her body in time for the beast to collide with the ground by her shoulder. The sudden maneuver jerked her injured leg, causing another hot spark of needles to stab through her raw nerves. The pain forced her to cry out, but even as she did she slammed the rock down on top of the snake's skull.

The bone caved surprisingly effortlessly. Swirling skin split open to let more of the strange liquid-diamond blood ooze to the surface. The creature hissed again, this time more catlike than reptilian.

It began to pull back just as Jenny brought the rock down again. She hit it in the side of the face. The serpent released a pained rush of air as it reared back and Jenny felt the coil around her legs loosen.

Ignoring the agonizing throb in her wounded ankle, Jenny kicked with her feet and managed to pry herself free from the demon-snake's hold.

Having recovered its equilibrium, the serpent tried again to snap at her. Jenny wasn't sure how she managed to dodge the attack as she dragged her hands behind her in an effort to crawl away from the monster.

Its tongue poked out, menacingly flicking in the air as the serpent glared with its death pale eyes. Jenny absently noted the gleaming trail of blood dripping down the side of the creature's head.

The snake came at her again. Jenny's mind was a rush. Relying on instinct only, she found herself rolling out of the serpent's line of attack. Jenny pivoted back to throw her weight on top of its long neck as its jaws snapped on empty air.

It hissed and bucked. Jenny managed to stay on, pushing herself up into a sitting position. All she knew was that she did not want to die. Not by this thing, and not tonight. She raised the rock high above her head in both hands, and then slammed it down onto the serpent's dented and bloodied skull. The creature tried to bend its head around to strike but Jenny's position astride its neck prevented it. She beat the snake again with the rock. Hit it over and over until her arms hurt and she lost all track of the world around her. In a blind frenzy Jenny released her anger onto the luminous creature beneath her.

At the refusal of her arms to lift again Jenny finally returned to herself. Her muscles screamed out in protest. She could scarcely continue her hold on the rock and let it drop from her fingers. She sat there, panting and slowly recovering her sanity. Clear, chilled blood smeared her hands. Her eyes fell downward to the unmoving beast beneath her.

_Oh, God._

Jenny's stomach twisted and threatened to revolt. A firm hand pressed to her mouth fought back the bile. She could see its brain, smashed and splattered across the serpent's crushed head.

Jenny slid off the dead creature, letting her body slump to the ground. She sat there for a little while, battling against nausea and tears. The pain coursing through her leg had ebbed to a warm throb, which matched the quiet ache in her arm. She took in a countless number of deep breaths as she tried to collect herself.

She wasn't fine. Jenny knew that no part of her could ever be completely fine again, but with each released breath she let out she became more grounded. The trees returned in her vision. She could smell the dirt under her, could feel the soft light of the moon against her skin. Her ears picked up the rustling of leaves in the light breeze. Little by little, the world returned.

Slowly, Jenny stood. She stumbled with a sharp cry as a burst of fire awoke in her injured ankle. She managed to keep herself upright, praying to whichever god or gods who were still out there watching over her—if any at all. She hoped it wasn't broken. More importantly, she hoped she could still make it out of there. Gingerly, Jenny began to shuffle down the jogging trail towards the burst of artificial light.

Her hope began to soar the closer she got, but Jenny was swift to squash it. She kept her eyes sharp, waiting for the next trick. As she got closer she saw a dark silhouette near the end of the treeline, haloed by the streetlight. Past him was the park. Jenny could see a set of swings and, further away in the distance, a metal slide.

The white-haired devil leaned against a tree, arms folded across his chest. He wore a jacket made of glossy black leather. A lazy grin spread across his face as he watched her with twinkling eyes.

Jenny stood a little straighter as she approached, her shoulders leveled. In spite of the limp she felt a sense of dignity as she walked toward him without fear. The grin grew a little as his eyes roamed over her battered form.

"Rough night?"

Jenny did not dignify that with a response. She knew she should have kept going, stormed right past the demonic bastard and never looked back. Instead she stopped to face him. She glared at him, hoping that all her disdain and hatred shown through like a blazing flame.

"I'm here," she said, gesturing out towards the park with her good arm.

He only nodded, looking dangerously beautiful. The smile on his face was almost charming. His lack of a verbal answer rubbed Jenny the wrong way.

"I win. I can leave, _right_?" she added with a threatening edge to her voice.

She wasn't scared of him, not anymore. She had fought with evil, was soaked with its blood, but through it all had come out on top. No matter what happened from then on Jennifer Thornton knew she could survive.

The demon in black reached out to her. Jenny physically flinched, but self-respect stopped her before she could step away completely. Long, nimble fingers plucked something from her tussled hair. When his hand pulled back she saw it was a stray leaf. He toyed with it between his fingertips, studying it with vacant eyes, his mind seemingly elsewhere. A quietness settled over them.

"You win," he said simply. The words seemed to flow with the silence, rather than disrupt it.

He released the leaf and it fluttered to the ground. His cerulean gaze rested on Jenny. She felt the need to fidget but the pain in her leg prevented it. He did not look very upset for having just admittedly lost his game. That made her nervous.

"So, I can leave?" she asked, not sure if she honestly believed him.

"Do you really want to?"

The inquiry caught her off guard. Jenny frowned. Of course she did, what kind of a question was that? If it were not for her sudden bewilderment she would have been angry. He was not acting as he had before, neither dark seducer or cruel sadist. He came off more aloof than anything. Jenny wasn't sure how to react to this new facet of him.

"We could always play another game," he went on. His voice was soft and reasonable, his words running together in a velvet sound.

Jenny was appalled. "You've got to be kidding."

He shrugged it off as if it were nothing. "I thought it was worth a try."

Jenny could feel the grime and dried blood on her skin, both her own and that from the creatures who's lives she had been forced to take. The dull ache from the gashes on her arm caused her muscles to twitch. Her ankle throbbed and felt swollen. A sudden hot rage seized her as she recalled all she had been through.

"You son of a bitch," she whispered. Her glare was like the sharpened blade of a freshly made sword. "How dare you, you _bastard! _After what you—"

Jenny's venomous words were abruptly cut off as strong hands seized her and pulled her close. A hot pair of lips crashed against her own. Jenny's eyes grew wide.

She fought against him, or she honestly tried to, anyway. There was something almost desperate in the way his mouth moved over hers. It made Jenny feel needed, adored, as if no other woman could ever compare to her.

Slowly, her body gave in, melting reluctantly against him. Her lips parted under his. As she relented, his arms lowered to hug her waist and her hands moved to comb through the milky strands of his hair. Jenny moaned. Too soon he was pulling back. His tongue snaked out to capture one final taste of her before he parted from her completely.

It took Jenny a moment to fit the puzzle pieces of herself back together. He was watching her, his smirk haughty and his eyes shadowed with something which looked suspiciously like passion. He tilted his head, causing light and darkness to play across his handsome features.

"Let me keep you, my little enchantress. I can give you anything you've ever desired."

She hit him.

Jenny hadn't even realized she'd balled up her fist until it was already descending. Her own strength caught her off guard. Her abrupt attack seemed to have surprised even him.

He stood there, simply staring at her, his cat-tilted eyes wide. Blood, like liquid diamonds, seeped from a small cut in his lower lip. He blinked. Slowly an odd grin smoothed his expression and his brow drooped to shadow his face. A look of both approval and excitement caused his otherworldly eyes to glisten like the first light of daybreak.

His tongue poked out to gather the few collecting drops of blood. It continued in a counter-clockwise motion around his lips. Jenny fought the need to stare. Whatever the demon decided to do to her from then on she did not care. She had made her peace with the world.

He chuckled with a shake of his head, and murmured, "Beautiful."

His immediate response not being violence, Jenny's mind turned to other things, like the fact that hitting him hadn't hurt her own injuries. Jenny glanced down at herself, noticing that the earlier pains and aches of her body were gone. She was startled to fine her clothing was clean and no longer torn. Holding up her arm and pulling back the sleeve she saw the skin was once again smooth and untarnished. She put weight on her bad ankle. It supported her easily and without fuss.

"What...?"

"A gift," he said, his tone good-natured. "For burning so brightly."

Jenny didn't understand and she didn't want to. She wanted out of there, away from this devil in black.

She started past him, out onto the blacktop of the playground. It was a great relief to feel it finally under her feet. The air was a lot warmer than it had been back in the woods. Jenny closed her eyes and lifted her face as she walked, feeling it dissolving the chill from her body.

In spite of all that had just happened to her, in spite of now knowing that terrible monsters stalked the earth—or perhaps because of it—Jenny was overcome with the wonder of life, of being alive. Suddenly even the hot breeze against her skin was a miracle.

"I look forward to seeing you again."

Jenny swirled around, her cheer instantly gone. Her voice dripped poison as she declared, "Don't you _dare_. I don't _EVER want to see you again! _"

He smiled, looking stunning and exotic. His expression was sweet, yet there was a dead seriousness to his eyes. It left a lingering chill over her skin.

He said simply, "You won't."

Jenny blinked.

He was gone.

She stood frozen to the spot. Her gaze searched for him in the darkness, but he just wasn't there. He had vanished, just like that. Hesitantly Jenny turned, looking over her shoulder, waiting for him to leap from the shadows.

He didn't.

She left the park in an all-out run.

**~ End ~**

.

.

**Author's Notes:**Your thoughts? All feedback is very much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this. ~ **KB **~


End file.
